Admin:
MIT has a new class that looks very interesting, this is the course info:

Underactuated Robotics

Robots today move far too conservatively, using control systems thatattempt to maintain full control authority at all times. Humans and animalsmove much more aggressively by routinely executing motions which involve aloss of instantaneous control authority. Controlling systems without fullauthority requires a different style of control, and requires that we relyon and exploit the natural dynamics of our machines.

http://stellar.mit.edu/S/course/6/sp07/6.881/index.html(it appears they will post lecture notes and other course info publicly over the coming semester - worth following!)

JonHylands:

--- Quote from: Admin on December 15, 2006, 07:45:22 AM ---Robots today move far too conservatively, using control systems thatattempt to maintain full control authority at all times. Humans and animalsmove much more aggressively by routinely executing motions which involve aloss of instantaneous control authority. Controlling systems without fullauthority requires a different style of control, and requires that we relyon and exploit the natural dynamics of our machines.

--- End quote ---

This is absolutely what I plan to do with my biped design...

- Jon

JesseWelling:
high level stuff...I just want a 4 wheeled robot that can drift ;D

elpezzz:
stellar is usually only accessible to people actually enrolled in the class.

Another resource that is open to the public is open courseware. they usually have lecture notes, homework, tests, anything the prof wants to provide. classes people here might be interested in..

autonomous robot design competition

intro to robotics

a quick search for "robot" brings up a bunch of other pages as well. enjoy!